Re - Goldstone
I understand that all the members of Sandton shul in Johannesburg declared that they would walk out of the shul if Richard Soldstone was given an aliya at his grandson's barmitzvah. As a result of that, the arrangement was made that Richard Goldstone would not attend his grandson's barmitzvah in South Africa.
That was based on a phone call to South Africa this evening.
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4 comments:
Then it’s rather a shame. I would think that the mass walkout would have been a more effective gesture. Though not so fun for the kid.
This was passed around a few months ago and illustrates S. African view of Goldstone:
To: Judge Richard Goldstone From: Barbara Press Subject: Hello
Richard... It's been a while...
Dear Richard
Our paths have crossed many times compelling me to correspond
directly with you. I pray your indulgence that you hear me out by
reading to the end of my missive. In fact I ask you to share my
letter with Noleen from beginning to end and to respond with your
thoughts...
cont'd
...It has been a while since (inspired by you as head of ORT South
Africa) I, together with Rabbi Bernard at Oxford Shule, established
a school to teach the Killarney-Houghton Black domestic workers how
to write, read, sew, cook and drive. It has been a while since you
praised my father Hubert Press as one of the finest business brains
you had ever encountered. It was been a while since I dined with
you, Noleen, David and Marilyn Rivkin, discussing opera.
Jewish life has been crying out for a man of the stature of Adolph
Cremieux, of Justice Louis Brandeis, of Sir Moses Montefiore, people
of the highest integrity and purpose. For those who champion their
own people are remembered forever in the annals of history. But those
who are self-serving are lost in a trail of ignominy.
South African Jewry stand tall and your efforts in championing Truth
and Reconciliation in South Africa were applauded and earned you a
reputation as a man of stature.
I am bewildered by the direction you have taken as part of the
United Nations Human Rights Council. This rogue Council has been
tainted by a membership that does not condemn Iranian tyranny,
Chinese oppression, African despotism but spends their time
condemning one country unjustly, Israel.
The Goldstone Commission bears your name. One would expect the
mandate of any report to be objective so that your name could be
respected and a legacy ensured. Instead your committee ignored the
facts, embraced bias and rendered the report bearing your name,
illegitimate.
You tried to defend yourself in the New York Times but it was
transparent and not effective. You could have resigned from the
commission and retained your integrity. You knew that Israel faced
12000 Grads and Kassams from its Iran backed terror base of Gaza,
8000 irreversibly traumatizing the families and children of Sderot.
You knew that the U.N. never passed one resolution condemning these
deadly missiles. You knew that before and during Operation Cast Lead
Israel made thousands of cell phone calls to warn civilians. You knew
that Israel sent housands of texts to warn civilians. You knew that
Israel dropped hundreds of thousands of leaflets in Arabic (I managed
to obtain one of these as evidence) to warn civilians. You knew that
Israel aborted operations to avoid civilian deaths. You knew that
Israel set up medical facilities on the edge of Gaza to treat
civilians. You knew that Israel dropped supplies of food into Gaza
to feed civilians...
...You also knew that Hamas operatives are not "civilians". You knew
that not only were they not civilians but that they hid behind their
own civilians to fire on Israeli civilians. You knew that they
misused ambulances for military purposes. You knew that mosques and
schools were used for Hamas depots and launching pads. You knew that
Hamas operatives kill or shoot at the legs of any Gazans refusing to
target Israel.
The video footage and U-tube sequences are still available for any
and all of us to witness.
You clearly knew that one of your team members had condemned Israel
in a published letter even before the conclusion of the incursion or
the beginning of your investigation. But you did not resign or
distance yourself from the hypocrisy of this illegitimate report.
Instead a tedious 500-page report of the 3 week battle was padded
with pages from the tainted U.N. mockery of Israel's security
barrier (misnamed the "wall"). What a sad indictment of the charter
of the United Nations.
Richard, you were indeed a respected legal giant in Johannesburg.
This report did not arise from ignorance or naivete. I am trying so
hard to resist the conclusion that your role and report might
represent a self-serving desire to ingratiate yourself for a more
senior position in the kangaroo court called the United Nations. But
if true-and one hopes that this is not the case-at what price?
Association with the infamous U.N. garners no respect in the USA so
why would anyone seek to be head inmate at the U.N. Asylum?
I have been very direct as South Africans are want to be. But many
of us South Africans have been tainted by the perfidy of the
Goldstone report. This is the Jewish time of Judgment when the scales
of fate are entered in the book of life and we all need to look into
our souls. I am not sure how you could comfortably extricate
yourself. Perhaps we could discuss this face to face.
Good Yomtov to you, Noleen and your family.
Regards Barbara Press
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